21 May 2012

Zimbabwe's justice minister has vowed not to recognize basic rights for gays and lesbians after meeting with the United Nations human rights chief today, reports the BBC and AP.

Patrick Chinamasa said he told U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay that Zimbabwe will arrest same sex partners found committing homosexual acts. "We made it clear that in our law homosexual activities are criminalized and that any person who commits homosexual activities will be arrested," he told reporters after meeting with Pillay in Harare.

He said claims of state sponsored torture were untrue, and the allegations must be investigated. "There is no state sponsored violence, these are all lies. We told her that there are no torture chambers in Zimbabwe," he said.

Pillay is on a first ever mission by a UN Human Rights chief to Zimbabwe, at the invitation of the Government. The South African judge will meet President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, cabinet ministers, the nation's chief justice and others.

Independent human rights groups have accused Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front of "stage managing" the visit and presenting a "fraudulent" account of human rights, according to another report by AP.

In a joint statement Monday, 36 groups said they will boycott a meeting with her arranged by Mugabe’s justice ministry at the Harare Parliament building scheduled Tuesday. The groups said bogus organizations, some even the perpetrators of injustice, were invited to “ambush” the rights defenders’ talks with Pillay. ...

Human rights groups have compiled dossiers from witness accounts of systematic political violence, assaults, beatings, rape and torture over the past decade. At least 600 people have died, about 200 of them in violence during campaigning for the last national elections in 2008.

The 36 groups said Monday that Chinamasa had insisted there was nothing to hide from the U.N. envoy, but that he and justice ministry officials then tried to suppress the activists’ views. Mugabe’s party wanted to stage manage her mission using loyalists to present “a glorified and sugar coated account” of rights issues, the statement said.

Same-sex acts are currently illegal in Zimbabwe, as they are in at least 38 of 54 African countries. Four nations—Mauritania, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan—boast the death penalty for gays or same-sex activity. South Africa and Seychelles are the only African nations that protect LGBT rights. The neighboring Republic of South Africa is also the only African nation to guarantee marriage equality.

Pillay made the comments about the controversial Trayvon Martin case at a press conference in Barbados, as she wrapped up a three-day visit to the Caribbean island nation. As High Commissioner for Human Rights, I call for an immediate investigation," Pillay told reporters. "Justice must be done for the victim. It's not just this individual case. It calls into question the delivery of justice in all situations like this." [...]

Pillay expressed shock that George Zimmerman was not arrested right away, and expressed concern about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which allows the use of deadly force in situations where there is a belief of a threat. "The law should operate equally in respect of all violations. I will be awaiting an investigation and prosecution and trial and of course reparations for the victims concerned," Pillay said.

South African judge Pillay authored the United Nation's 2011 report on worldwide discrimination and violence against LGBTs. In June 2011, the UNHRC approved an historic resolution that condemned discrimination and violence against the LGBT community. The measure was sponsored by the United States, Colombia and South Africa. It was opposed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, among others.

Meanwhile: A group of up to 20 neo-Nazis are patrolling the streets of Sanford, Florida where the teen was killed. "A representative for the Detroit-based National Socialist movement told the Miami New Times that his group ... are prepared to protect the 'white citizens in the area' in the event of race riots."

09 March 2012

Some high-level diplomats representing Islamic and African nations walked out of Wednesday's historic United Nations Human Rights Council meeting on LGBT rights.

This happened after United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay told the Geneva-based council that gays and lesbians should be protected by all governments, reports Radio Free Europe.

In a video message to council members on March 7, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said persecution of gays was "an attack on the universal values that the United Nations and I have sworn to defend and uphold."

[Ban] called the imprisonment, torture, and killing of persons based on their sexual orientation "a monumental tragedy for those affected and a stain on our collective conscience. It is also a violation of international law. You, as members of the Human Rights Council, must respond.".

The session was held to consider a first-of-its-kind report released late last year by the UN's high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, which identified "a clear pattern of targeted violence and discrimination directed at people because they are, or are perceived to be" lesbian, gay, bisexual. or transgender." The report cited reports of killings, rape, physical attacks, torture, arbitrary detention, the denial of right of assembly, and discrimination in employment, health, and education.

Among the disturbing examples cited was an account of lesbians being gang-raped in Kyrgyzstan, and an Uzbek human rights defender who was charged with homosexuality, beaten by police, and threatened with sexual assault. The report also documented the Russian authorities' refusal to allow gay-rights activists to hold parades.

Wednesday's meeting was the council's first-ever session on sexual-orientation-based discrimination and violence. In June 2011, the UNHRC approved an historic resolution that condemned discrimination and violence against the LGBT community. The measure was sponsored by the United States, Colombia and South Africa. It was opposed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, among others.

Islamic and African diplomats continue to deny any of their citizens are at risk, reported Reuters.

Speaking before the walkout for the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan described homosexuality as "licentious behavior" while African group leader Senegal said it was not covered by global human rights accords.

Nigeria—where gay rights groups say there have been many attacks on male and female homosexuals—declared none of its citizens was at risk of violence because of sexual orientation or gender identity before it too left the chamber.

And Mauritania, for the Arab group, all of whose members are also in the OIC, said attempts to impose "the controversial topic of sexual orientation" would undermine discussion in the council of all genuine human rights problems.

United Nations Secretary General Ban also addressed LGBT issues at January's meeting of the African Union, claiming that some African nations have treated gays like "second-class citizens or even criminals."

Seventy-six of the UN's 192 member countries have laws criminalizing same-sex behavior. At least five countries, including Iran, impose the death penalty as punishment for same-sex relations.

The situation is most acute in Africa. Same-sex acts are currently illegal in at least 38 of 54 African countries. Four nations—Mauritania, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan—boast the death penalty for gays or same-sex activity. South Africa and Seychelles are the only African nations that protect LGBT rights.